TRIPOLI (AFP)
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Wednesday criticized Democratic White House candidate Barack Obama for saying that Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of Israel and said he hoped the next U.S. president will be a man of peace.
Gaddafi, whose country is Africa's number two oil producer, also blamed U.S. foreign policies and a weak dollar for skyrocketing oil prices, during a speech to mark the 38th anniversary of U.S. evacuation of bases in Libya.
"The statements of our Kenyan brother of American nationality Obama on Jerusalem... show that he either ignores international politics and did not study the Middle East conflict or that it is a campaign lie," Gaddafi said.
Obama sparked outrage among Palestinians earlier this month when he told a Jewish group in Washington that Jerusalem must remain the "undivided" capital of Israel.
He also pledged his "unshakeable commitment to Israel's security" if he is elected president in November.
Obama who "chose change as the theme of his campaign should have proposed real change in U.S. policies towards the Arabs", Gaddafi said.
"We are praying that the (next) U.S. president will be a man of peace," he added.
Gaddafi has toned down anti-U.S. rhetoric since his country normalized ties with Washington in 2006, two years after they were restored following a 25-year-break.
Washington renewed diplomatic links with Tripoli after Gaddafi announced in 2004 that he was abandoning efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction.
Gaddafi said the past conflict with Washington was due "to bad management" from both sides.
But he charged that U.S. foreign policy, namely the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a weak dollar are behind skyrocketing oil prices.
Oil represents 95 percent of Libyan exports and accounts for 70 percent of gross national product.
Thanks to high prices, OPEC member Libya -- with a current output of 1.8 million barrels per day -- netted almost 40 billion dollars in oil revenue last year. |
